Man of His Word
by Tauna Petit-Strawn
Summary: A short three chapter story...a twist off the ending of the episode Velvet Trap. There should be more than one spot for genres sometimes.
1. Chapter 1

*1. This short story started tossing around in my head after reading another piece of fan fiction. When I watched Velvet Trap the other day, it started yelling at me.

2. I will be giving proper thanks later to the fellow fan fiction writer whose piece I read…for allowing me to borrow from it when I emailed her. I would do it now only…I don't want to give anything away. Also, while I do have a beta reader who would beta this for me if I wanted, I would like to see how I did on my own. If there is any major errors, feel free to email me. If it's just minor? I'd rather not hear about it.

**Man of His Word**

**1/3**

_The sheriff was talking, then his brothers, but Nick didn't respond. She'd lied to him and used him to get rid of her boyfriend's "enemy", a bounty hunter. At least, that is what they claimed. Were they right? Were they wrong? He had to know either way. Without a word, he picked up his hat and walked out the law office door; his mother followed, scared to death for her son._

_ "And then you'll be dead…" his mother's words rang in his ears as he left the hotel. Sabrina had checked out and ran. They were right. Now, he had a job to do, one that the bounty hunter started. He, Nick Barkley, would finish. _

"You want us to follow him?" Jarrod asked his mother as he, Heath and the sheriff stepped out of the lawman's office. A part of him knew better than to ask such a question; still he did. He wasn't surprised when Victoria turned her head and nodded.

"Please," Victoria looked at Jarrod and Heath, "do just that only," she paused, sighed and then added, "don't let him know you're following if you can. You know how stubborn and ornery he can be." She might not have asked them to follow her hot tempered son, but she had to. She couldn't help but shake the feeling Nick would need his brothers nearby, and that made her nervous.

"Come on, Heath." Jarrod hurried down the street and to the stable; Heath did the same. The sheriff was not far behind them. Victoria walked slowly towards the surrey she'd driven into town and prayed. What else could she do?

**0000**

_Mile after Mile Nick rode. The farther he rode the madder he got. He had trusted her; he'd felt sorry for her, and he wound up killing a man for her. All right, in the eyes of the law it was self-defense. It didn't matter. The bounty hunter never would have done what he had if Sabrina hadn't set the two of them up. And for what? A low down, no good, murderer!_

"Boy Howdy!" Heath exclaimed as he, his brother and the sheriff did what they could do keep up with Nick without being seen. That wasn't easy to do as Nick had always been one to quickly pick up on the fact he was being tailed. As it was, Nick was so bent on finding Sabrina and her wanted boyfriend that he didn't notice anything but what was in front of him.

_Nick pulled on his reins and stopped his horse. He could see the stagecoach that had left Stockton not that long ago. Sabrina had to be on it! He spurred his horse onwards! He had to talk to her, make her talk!_

_ "There was a woman and a man…" Nick listened as the driver spoke. It was Sabrina and the man he now sought to bring to justice. He just knew it. "Sorry for bothering you, *Sam." Nick mounted his horse and rode on._

"Like I told your brother," Sam looked at Nick's brother and the good sheriff who had lost Nick, "A man and woman got off. They said they had horses waiting for them. He took off that way." The driver pointed in the direction he'd seen Nick ride when he left him.

"Thanks." Jarrod said as he, his brother and the sheriff too rode away. Somehow, all three men knew Nick would find what he was looking for. That fact alone had them worried enough to push their horses as hard as they could. They were more than grateful when Heath was able to pick up Nick's tracks once more.

"We've got to get catch up to him soon." Jarrod said as they rode through the country, going through more than one bush and around more than one tree. "I don't like the feeling I'm starting to get." It was a feeling of dread, impending danger and an extremely strong sense of urgency. He took it to mean only trouble for his brother.

"Tell me somethin' I don't know." Heath replied in a tone that sounded of one who knew what their odds were and didn't like it. Why did Nick have to get it into his head to play bounty hunter? It wasn't his fault Sabrina had turned out to be so bad. Why couldn't he just accept his, Heath's, invitation to go and get a drink?

**0000**

_Nick seethed with anger as he saw Sabrina and the man he hunted embracing on the porch of a home. If they thought they were getting away with anything, they were wrong. He waited until Sabrina was lying, alone, on the grass before he made his presence known. He kept the amusement he got over the shocked looked on her face to himself._

_ Desperate to stop Nick, Sabrina begged, "Listen to me…"_

_ "I listened…" Nick spoke abruptly as he told her what he was doing there and then he began walking._

_ Sabrina yelled to warn her boyfriend, "It's Nick Barkley…" _

"The fool!" the sheriff had to bite his tongue as he, Jarrod and Heath had finally caught sight of Nick and where he was heading. They were too far away to do any good should anything happen. "Come on, let's get moving!" It was a statement Heath and Jarrod didn't argue with.

_Nick moved quickly, yet carefully, after having taken a number of shots at the wanted man and dodging a few bullets himself. Unbeknownst to Nick, though he should have known she would, Sabrina had ran into the house and got a rifle. _

Jarrod swore as he saw Sabrina go into the barn. Heath did the same, and the sheriff wasn't exactly letting out the best language himself.

_Nick was moving around, taking shots and dodging them. He wanted to take the man in alive. If he could just wound him, he would be able to do it._

"No, you don't!" Sabrina, who had slipped quietly into the barn, aimed the rifle at one very surprised Nick. Just as Jarrod, Heath and the sheriff busted in through the door, she pulled the trigger.

_*****__If Nick didn't call the driver Sam, then I really need to listen better…as I saw the episode on the TV not You Tube._


	2. I Need More Time

**Man of His Word**

**2/3**

Jarrod, his mother, Heath and Audra all stood or sat in the living room of the home Sabrina and her boyfriend had occupied. All felt like climbing the walls while waiting for Dr. Merar and his friend who was in Stockton on a visit tended to Nick, who lay gravely wounded with a bullet to his chest. The friend "happened" to be an expert surgeon from back east, a miracle the Barkleys weren't going to turn away.

Jarrod stood against east wall of the living room, not far from the bedroom where his hot tempered brother was being taken care of.

His thoughts continued to go to the scene in the barn. The memory of bursting through the barn just as Sabrina pulled the trigger, seeing blood start to spread over Nick's chest as he fell to the ground, the sheriff grabbing the rifle from Sabrina, Heath killing the wanted fugitive and him rushing to his fallen brother's side was forever etched in his mind.

Jarrod recalled how none of them dared try transport Nick back to town so it had been decided that the sheriff would notify the family when he took Sabrina back to the jail to await trial for attempted murder, if not murder itself. Heath would ride hard for the doctor and Jarrod would stay with the injured Nick. Time had never passed so slowly. By the time the doctor and his friend, who had come along after the Heath had told him where Nick had taken the bullet, arrived Jarrod was fit to be tied. Jarrod was sure if his family hadn't arrived when they did he would he gone crazy.

Victoria, who had been staring into the empty fireplace, stood up and walked over to her oldest. She feared Jarrod was taking responsibility for something he had no control over. "You, Heath and the sheriff did all you could to stop this from happening." There was a catch in her throat as she said, "As it is, the three of you rushing into the barn when you did might very well have saved his life." She didn't know whether she was right or not; all she knew for sure was without his brothers and the sheriff her middle son would have died, alone, in that barn and no one would have been the wiser.

Before Jarrod could argue with her, the door to the bedroom opened up wide. All the Barkleys looked to see Dr. Merar stepping out of the room. His looked like he'd aged ten years and wanted only to get away from it all. They felt their heart stop and they feared the worst.

"Doctor?" Heath rose from the couch with eyes full of pain and anguish as he kept his eyes on Stockton's doctor. While he feared what the man might have to say, Heath knew that either way he and the family needed to hear something, anything, at this point.

Dr. Merar hated his job at times like this. Families wanted positive news, guarantees; they didn't need or want the uncertainties that life often brought, especially with a loved one lying so near death's door. And, no denying it, the famous dark haired rancher was closer to death than Dr. Merar had ever seen him. "Dr. Roberts has the bullet out and is stitching Nick up; still, he isn't very hopeful when it comes to Nick's recovery. Most likely…" Dr. Merar paused as he folded his arms and shifted uncomfortably.

Victoria felt herself start to sway just a little. Thank goodness Jarrod was there to take a hold of her or she might have passed out at what the doctor had been unable to finish.

"You think he'll join his father soon." Victoria managed to say the words even if she did sound like she was choking on them.

"No!" Audra yelled as she jumped to her feet; her own pain showing in her eyes. "Nick can't die! He can't!" She had lost her father before his time; Audra didn't want to lose Nick too. If Heath hadn't stood up and took a hold of her, she'd have flown into the room where Dr. Roberts was finishing his work. As it was, he let go only when she promised to go stand near an open window and get some fresh air.

"I know he lost a lot of blood." Heath spoke up. "Would one of those transfusion things help? You can take some of my blood."

"Any one of us will give some of our blood if it will help." Jarrod spoke up knowing full well neither his mother nor sister would fight him; they didn't.

Before Dr. Merar could say anything, Dr. Roberts stepped out of the room. He looked as grim as Dr. Merar did, if not worse. Because he'd heard what Heath and Jarrod had said, he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know that it will make a difference at this point though it wouldn't hurt. However," He looked apologetically at Heath, "If we are going to try it, I think it would have a better chance of working if…" having been told by Dr. Merar the relation Heath had with the rest of the family, he struggled to find the words he needed without insulting the blond haired cowboy. He needn't have worried.

Heath fought the old familiar resentment down. He could see the doctor wasn't holding anything against him and was only concerned about his patient. He also knew how little was really known about blood transfusions. "You think we'd have more hope of it working if Jarrod was the one to give his blood because he's a full blooded brother." No one was surprised when Dr. Roberts nodded in the affirmative.

"Let's get this done." Jarrod let go of his mother and headed for the bedroom.

**0000**

Nick stood in the middle of the room confused. He could see himself lying on the bed, his eyes closed and surrounded by Dr. Merar, another man he did not know and Jarrod, who was actually sitting next to the bed rolling up his sleeve. Dr. Merar was rolling up the sleeve on his, Nick's, arm. Having donated some of his own blood to Heath once, Nick knew what was going on. However, he'd never thought that maybe, just maybe, Heath had been standing nearby watching. He'd have to ask him…Nick's thought was stopped abruptly as another thought came forcefully into his mind. What if it didn't work? What if Jarrod gave him the blood the doctors said was needed and he died anyway? What would happen to him? What about his mother, brothers and his sister? What about the ranch?

As he began thinking about his family, Nick found himself standing in the living room looking at Victoria, Audra and Heath. His mother sat on the couch, tears rolling down her cheeks, while Audra sat on one side of her and Heath sat on the other. They looked so miserable and unhappy. How Nick wished he could tell them everything was going to be all right.

"Why didn't he leave Sabrina and that…" Audra found herself angry at Nick and wasn't hiding it, "that boyfriend of hers to the law! He knew this could happen! Didn't he think about what it would do to us if he was killed?"

_Didn't he think_…Nick felt a pang of guilt shoot through him as he found himself back in the bedroom and looking at Jarrod, who seemed to have aged ten, if not twenty, years. As he looked at the doctors, the looks on their faces and listened to their whispered talk, the whispering told him just how close to passing on to the other side he really was. He wasn't ready to go. When a light appeared up by the ceiling, Nick lifted his eyes. He heard a voice telling him it was time for him to leave his mortal existence and to reach up.

"No!" Nick snapped as he took a step backwards and kept his arms by his side. He was unwilling to leave without a fight. "I have to have more time!"

When the voice urged him to reach up, Nick bellowed as he took another step backwards. There had to be a way to convince whoever was trying to get him to leave his mortal life behind to go away and let him stay where he was. "I don't want to go! We have to talk about this!"


	3. Nick's Vow

_**Man of His Word 3 of 3**_

_*****__** Everything with a *by it was borrowed, with permission, from BowValley (Thanks, BowV. She's on another site). **__**** =direct quote from her story, only I changed it just enough to have Nick speaking it instead of it being said about it. The title of her story, and its location, are included at the end of this chapter.**_

0000

Jarrod stood in the entrance way of the living room and gazed upon a sight he and the family had been sure would never be theirs to behold again. Nick was lying on the couch sleeping peacefully. The opened bible setting on his chest was his constant companion these days. It made Jarrod smile. Amazingly enough his brother's constant study of the scriptures had seemed to calm the hot tempered Barkley down, though he was still loud, obnoxious and stubborn as a thousand mules. The family figured it was because the dark haired rancher was supposed to be dead, and he wasn't. As Jarrod quietly set his briefcase down upon a nearby chair, he remembered the day Nick had shocked them all.

_The sun had slid its rays into Nick's room and gently laid themselves upon Jarrod and Heath; Jarrod stood next to his unconscious brother while Heath sat at the foot of the bed. After doing everything they could, Dr. Roberts and Dr. Merar told them there was no reason not to move Nick to the ranch and his own room. He might as well be in his own bed surrounded by all of you when he passes away. Those words, spoken by Dr. Merar, had cut the Barkley's to the center. They'd moved Nick back to their home and into his room. Afterwards, they'd talked to him and begged him to stay. Though, none talked to him as hard as Heath did. He didn't want to bury his best friend. __As time passed, with no signs of improvement, __*everyone accepted that Nick was on his death bed__ and begged him to go quickly for his sake, and for his help from the other side for their sake once he got there that is. _

_"At least one of us will be here with you," Victoria had leaned over the son she was convinced she was losing and whispered in his ear, "you won't be alone when you pass on and, we promise, Sabrina will never see the outside of that prison she's being sent to." Her voice had broken and her tears fell. _

_"I keep telling myself to accept things and let him go." Heath looked at Jarrod as he felt tears running down his face and saw a tear or two on Jarrod's. "But in here," Heath pointed to his heart, "I can't seem to listen. I know what mother said, but just the thought of another headstone next to father's makes me sick." _

_Jarrod had gone to give what comfort he could to Heath only, before he had a chance, the brothers felt like they had the wind knocked out of them as a voice they were sure they would never hear again spoke rather bluntly, causing them both to whirl around. "So, don't put it there." _

_Jarrod had to grab the foot of the bed frame and whirled around. Heath, who also turned his head a bit too fast, had to literally grab the side of the bed."NICK!" The two brothers had both shouted with joy at the same time._

"You don't have to walk so quiet." Nick opened his eyes and smiled up at his brother. "I'm already awake."

Jarrod smiled as he pulled a chair over to the couch and sat down. "It's good to see you among the living." Two and a half months of touch and go and helping Nick fight a bout with pneumonia had not exactly been the most pleasant experience the family had lived through. Though, seeing Nick in the living room instead of the bedroom made it all worthwhile. "Heath will be glad when you're strong enough to join him back out on the range." Jarrod leaned back in his chair and grinned at Nick, who did what he could, but still tired easily, though he was improving with each passing day. The grin quickly disappeared as Nick removed the bible off his chest, laid it on the coffee table beside him and sat up looking rather solemn.

"What is it, Nick?" Jarrod looked at his brother with great concern in his eyes and in his voice.

After a moment of silence, Nick answered, "Reverend Stacy came by today." Nick turned his head slightly, as to look at his oldest brother. "I sent for him." Surprise shone on Jarrod's face. Why on earth would his brother want to talk to that man for? Oh sure, Nick had always gone to church, but he'd never had much use for the reverend himself. Jarrod wanted to ask a dozen questions; instead, he waited for Nick to continue to talk.

For the first time since he'd been shot, Nick told Jarrod what he had seen while he was unconscious, adding the fact that he'd already talked to their mother, Audra and Heath. "I sent a letter to Gene too." The youngest Barkley was living in Europe with his young English bride.

Jarrod stared at Nick. "You were *shot in the chest, *you were on what we all thought was your death bed, Nick. While we did give you a transfusion, maybe you were just hallucinating."

"No!" Nick bit the word off harsher than he meant to and apologized. He stood up and walked slowly to the fireplace. He put his one hand against the fireplace wall and looked into the blazing fire.

"It was real, Jarrod. I wasn't supposed to live. I was told it was my time to leave my mortal life." That part; how close he'd come to taking his last breath, still chilled him to the bone.

"But you didn't…" Jarrod started to argue, using the tone he would in a courtroom, only to have Nick stop him.

"No, I didn't, but there's something else you don't know." Nick took a deep breath, lowered his hand, turned away from the fireplace and went on.

"I'm only alive…" Nick paused knowing how Jarrod would, most likely, react. After all, Heath hadn't been overly thrilled with the revelation Nick had given him when he walked in on Nick and the good reverend. Nick took another deep breath, stepped away from the fireplace and spoke in earnest, "I'm only alive because I begged for more time, even made a vow to serve the Lord as a lay *preacher for *five years if he'd just give me more time with my family and the ranch. That is, more time with the ranch after I finished serving him. Said I'd go where other preachers wouldn't go, even if it meant traveling to _****the roughest mountain settlements, mining camps, the wildest saloons and bawdy houses in California and Nevada. I told him I'd go to those who didn't have a church, those who were forgotten and those who were shunned as heathens."**_He shrugged his shoulders and chuckled, "You have to admit. I can relate to them." He paused again and then added with conviction, "More importantly, I know I can help them."

Sure enough Jarrod, who had risen out of his chair, sat back down and looked at his brother with a look of total disbelief and concern upon his face.

So that's why the bible had been his brother's constant companion since coming out of the coma. Nick had made a lot of rash promises in the past, but never one this serious. A part of Jarrod screamed for him to talk some sense into the man, the other part knew Jonathon Nicholas Barkley was a man of his word.

Nick sat back down and turned his palms up, "As a lay preacher there will be no pay which means, as you can guess, I'll need you to send me a monthly allowance and *help getting bibles. I would let you know ahead of time where I'd be." He looked at Jarrod, who had now sat back down. "I hope that will not be a problem. If it is, I'll just take some money with me to start out with then do odd jobs along the way. I'll make it work somehow." He then clasped his hands together and asked, "Could you help me get the *ranch's business in order so Heath can take over my spot while I'm gone?"

The silence that fell between the two brothers was deafening. After a few minutes, Jarrod gave him a small smile. "None of it will be a problem. When do you leave?" He wasn't surprised to hear Nick say he'd be leaving as soon as he could go more than four hours without needing to rest.

0000

Jarrod and the rest of the family gathered on the porch and watched as Nick saddled his horse. Reverend Stacy had stopped by that morning and handed Nick a telegram. A Reverend Allen needed the help of a lay preacher for a few months in a mountain community that lay ten miles up in the Sierra Mountains not that far from Stockton. If Nick was to make it to the town on time, he had to leave soon.

"I'll write letters and, should I get a chance, drop by here and visit. Though, I doubt I'll have many chances to do that. See you in *Salinas at the *Crooked Arrow Saloon in *five years?" Nick spoke to Jarrod as he mounted Coco, but looked at each and every member of his family. He wished he could make this easier on them, a part of him wished he could stay after all they'd been put through and done for him. Still, *a vow was a vow. He had been granted a second chance at life and he needed to keep his promise. At least his family understood, even if they didn't agree wholeheartedly, and was giving him their full support in his decision.

"Sure thing, Heath or I will be there." Jarrod took a hold of Nick's hand and grasped it hard. "Take care of yourself…" Jarrod swallowed and fought to keep his emotions in control before he added, "God bless you, *Brother Nick." The Barkleys then watched as Nick rode away. Once he was out of site Victoria and Audra went back inside.

Jarrod, seeing a rather amused look at Heath's face asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothin'," Heath answered as a lopsided grin appeared on his face. "Just wondering how many people will be able to get their Sunday naps while he's preaching." He winked at Jarrod.

Jarrod started grinning and laughed. "I dare say not many!"

00000 **  
**"Brother Nick", written by BowValley, is in the Corral on the big valley writer's desk.

Author's note: I didn't put an epilogue on this for the mere fact that, as far as I'm concerned, BowValley's "Brother Nick" in The Corral fits the bill and it, obviously, has already been written.


End file.
